The physical and electronic properties of SiC make it the foremost
semiconductor material for short wavelength optoelectronic, high temperature,
radiation resistant, and high-power/high-frequency electronic devices. A summary
of the most important properties in comparison to Si and GaAs is shown below:

Wide Energy
Bandgap (eV)

4H-SiC: 3.26

6H-SiC: 3.03

GaAs: 1.43

Si: 1.12

Electronic devices formed in SiC can operate at extremely high
temperatures without suffering from intrinsic conduction effects because of
the wide energy bandgap. Also, this property allows SiC to emit and detect
short wavelength light which makes the fabrication of blue light emitting
diodes and nearly solar blind UV photodetectors possible.

High Breakdown
Electric Field [V/cm (for 1000 V operation)]

4H-SiC: 2.2 x 106*

6H-SiC: 2.4 x 106*

GaAs: 3 x 105

Si: 2.5 x 105

SiC can withstand a voltage gradient (or electric field) over eight
times greater than than Si or GaAs without undergoing avalanche breakdown.
This high breakdown electric field enables the fabrication of very
high-voltage, high-power devices such as diodes, power transitors, power
thyristors and surge suppressors, as well as high power microwave devices.
Additionally, it allows the devices to be placed very close together,
providing high device packing density for integrated circuits.

High Thermal
Conductivity (W/cm · K @ RT)

4H-SiC: 3.0-3.8

6H-SiC: 3.0-3.8

GaAs: 0.5

Si: 1.5

SiC is an excellent thermal conductor. Heat will flow more readily
through SiC than other semiconductor materials. In fact, at room temperature,
SiC has a higher thermal conductivity than any metal. This property enables
SiC devices to operate at extremely high power levels and still dissipate the
large amounts of excess heat generated.

High Saturated
Electron Drift Velocity [cm/sec (@ E 2 x 105 V/cm)]

4H-SiC: 2.0 x 107

6H-SiC: 2.0 x 107

GaAs: 1.0 x 107

Si: 1.0 x 107

SiC devices can operate at high frequencies (RF and microwave) because
of the high saturated electron drift velocity of SiC.

Collectively,
these properties allow SiC devices to offer tremendous benefits over other
available semicondutor devices in a large number of industrial and military
applications.

* Measurement parallel to c-axis.

Applications and Benefits for Devices Fabricated From 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC
Substrates

APPLICATIONS

BENEFITS

HIGH FREQUENCY POWER DEVICE (RECOMMENDED
MATERIAL: 4H-SiC)

· Solid state phased
array radar systems

· Increase output
power of solid state RF devices by factor of 4

· Communication
Systems

· Reduce system
weight and volume

· Solid state UHF
broadcast systems

· Operate in
elevated temperature and high radiation environments

· High frequency
power supplies

· Reduce device
cooling requirements

· Electronic
countermeasures- jamming and threat warning systems

· Offer power
densities that are 4 times higher than Si or GaAs devices

HIGH POWER DEVICES (RECOMMENDED
MATERIAL: 4H-SiC)

· Power electronics
for power generating systems

· Lower voltage drop
for unipolar devices

· Surge suppressors

· Up to 100 times
the power density of Si devices

· Power conditioning
for electric vehicles

· Increased number
of power devices per unit area

· Electronic
actuators

· Reduced size and
weight of cooling systems

· Solid state lamp
ballasts

· Excellent
transient characteristics including high switching speed and the elimination
of large reverse-recovery currents